Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1945)

Wednesday, March 28, 194$ Motion Picture Daily More Raw Stock to Commercial Users Washington, March 27. — Producers of commercial films were assured today of a "substantial" increase in allocations of 35 mm. raw stock for the second quarter, with prospects of further improvement in their situation in Midsummer. Members of the industry advisory ^committee, meeting with War Production Board officials, discussed methods of setting up an equitable method of distribution of the 35 mm. film among the Several companies. 4Q"/r Increase The increase in allocation for industrial production figures out at about 40 per cent of the first quota, but in footage amounts to only a very few million feet. Forms on which they are to qualify for withdrawals of raw stock from the pool now being set up for independent producers are beginning to reach the War Production Board, it was learned today. The forms were distributed last week and must be submitted by each independent seeking film, who must show his past use of film for a period of years and certif that he is financially responsible, the owner of necessary rights and otherwise eligible for a quota. It is understood that no quotas are to be set up, as such, but that the allocation to each independent will be separately worked out on the basis of this past operations and scheduled program. in 16 mm. the committee was told that negative stock is very tight, positive stock considerably improved and color duplicating film very scarce. Those Present Members of the committee attending the meeting included : Harold E. Wondsel, Soundmasters, Inc. ; Frank Balkin, Chicago Film Laboratories ; Norman E. Wilding, Robert B. Strickland ; Burton W. Depue, Burton Holmes Films, Inc. ; Edward J. Lamm, Pathescope Company of America ; Earl Carpenter, Escar Motion Picture Service; James L. Baker, Mode-Art Pictures ; I. R. Rehm, Atlas Educational Film Co. ; Robert C. McKean, Caravel Films, Inc. ; R. H. Ray, RayBell Films, and Frank K. Speidell, Audio Products. Independents Draw Up Stock Formula A subcommittee of the National Association of Motion Picture Independents met here yesterday and formulated suggestions for the relief of individual hardship cases of its membership resulting from raw stock allocations of the War Production Board. The suggestions, contents of which were not made public, will be submitted by Nat Sanders of English Films, who heads the subcommittee, to Stanley Adams of the Consumers Durable Goods Division on Thursday or Friday in Washington. DO YOU NEED HELPt WE HAVE The Right Person for That Job Radio— Television — Motion Pictures Kathryn Feeke POSITION SECURING BUREAU, Agency 331 Madison Ave., New York 17, N. Y. Phone MUrray Hill 2-6494 44 The Affairs of Susan 99 (Continued from page 1) ing one husband who is George Brent, and involve Don De Fore, Dennis O'Keefe and Walter Abel, in the order named. No. 3 thinks he is going to marry her, but audiences will be wiser. As a successful actress, Miss Fontaine is entitled to her whimsicalities and her moods, but the problem is Abel doesn't know what they are. Having met Brent, De Fore and O'Keefe, he turns most ungallant and pumps them on the ground he intends to profit by their errors. And so, they tell him. Brent, stage producer, unfolds the first episode, which returns the sophisticated and glittering Susan to the simple life on an island off Rhode Island. In flashback, he narrates how he discovered her latent dramatic talent and her devastating allegiance to the truth regardless of storm or calm. He marries her, makes her the toast of Broadway, divorces when her truthfulness precipitates the jams which complete fidelity to facts automatically suggest. But Susan learns her lesson, which, therefore, does not embrace the truth or much of it, and that is where De Fore, lumberman turned Broadway angel, enters. Third in due time is O'Keefe, author whose pattern is wolf but never husband. Susan surmounts them all, including Abel, and eventually returns to Brent. By all odds, audiences will want it that way. On this ingenious base, attributed to Thomas Monroe and Laszlo Gorog, these two writers, plus Richard Flournoy, have built their screenplay. It has much amusement in it, sizeable elements of the harum-scarum and a couple of helpings of the wacky for additional seasoning. Moreover, it provides Miss Fontaine with a rich part which finds her on screen virtually all of the time and consistently aware of her generous opportunities. Too, it gives the four men in her life pretty fat roles, all well played, and it points up newcomer De Fore in a favorable light. William A. Seiter's direction is not balanced on an even keel in all instances, but overall results are predominantly on his side. What is to remember about "The Affairs of Susan is that it is not supposed to be believed. It is supposed to be enjoyed. That objective it attains. Running time 110 minutes. General audience classification. Release date not set. ' Red Kann Appoint Church CBS Assistant News Head Wells Church, radio director for the Republican National Committee in the 1936 and 1940 presidential campaigns, and assistant director of the 1944 campaign, has been appointed assistant director of public affairs and news broadcasts of the Columbia Broadcasting System, it is announced bv Paul White, director. ' Church replaces Everett Holies who resigned to become news editor and analyst of station WBBM, Columbia Chicago outlet. $10,000 for Camps Boston, March 27. — Members of the Variety Club, headed by Theodore Fleisher, have pledged $10,000 for free two-week vacations for wives and children of servicemen members who are overseas. Lt. Hicks Wounded First Lieutenant Francis C. Hicks, AUS, has been seriously wounded in Germany. Prior to entering service, before Pearl Harbor, he had been employed as assistant manager of Fabian's St. George Theatre, Staten Island. He had been with the circuit for seven years. Waldron Watson Dead Chatham, Ontario, March 27. — P. O. Waldron Watson, formerly of the Capitol Theatre here, reported missing in action July 19 after a crackup while raiding Cologne, Germany, has officially been declared dead, the RCAF has announced. WANTED Experienced Film Salesman for Metropolitan Territory. PRC PICTURES *3» Ninth Avenue N. Y. Phone Circle 6-M66 O'Donnell Honors Shugrue and Shelton Dallas. March 27. — Ned Shugrue, director of motion picture and special events division of the War Finance Committee of the Treasury Department, will be honored at a dinner given by R. J. O'Donnell, Southwestern chairman of the War Activities Committee tomorrow evening at Variety Club quarters in the Hotel Adolphus. With his assistant, Turner Shelton, Shugrue arrived in Dallas today. Stanley Collects Food In cooperation with the Russian War Relief's drive for food for Russia, the Stanley Theatre, here, will accept food contributions in lieu of payment for admission to the current film "Wait for Me." David Fine, managing director of the Stanley, stated that the drive will continue throughout the run of the present picture. Terry Turner Names Two Terr)' Turner, RKO Radio exploitation head, has announced two changes in his field staff : Charles Shaw has been assigned to Memphis and New Orleans, while Joseph Longo has been assigned to San Francisco. Music Hall Planning 6th Dawn Service For the sixth consecutive year, Radio City Muisc Hall, by arrangement with G. S. Eyssell, managing director, will be the scene of an Easter Dawn Service on the morning of Easter, next Sunday, held annually under auspices of the Greater New York Federation of Churches. The service, "Glory of Easter," will be held from seven A.M. to eight A.M. and will be broadcast locally over WMCA during the first half hour and nationally over WEAF and NBC during the second half. Rev. Dr. Robert W. Searle, general secretary of the Greater New York Federation, and the Rev. Dr. Frederick B. Newell, president of the Federation, will preside. Easter messages will be given by Dr. Searle and the Rev. Dr. Ralph W. Sockman, minister of Christ Methodist Church of New York. Roy Theatre Wins Some-Run Decision Paul B. Habans, arbitrator in the New Orleans tribunal, has rendered a some-run award in favor of Benton Roy, operating the Roy Theatre, Mansura, La., against 20th-Fox RKO Radio, Warners and Paramount, the American Arbitration Association reported here yesterday. The award directed the defendants to offer the complainant pictures on runs the terms and conditions of which are the same as that shown by evidence to be the practice in August, 1942, that is, a proportionate part of first-runs, in addition to those of second-run. Closing on Good Friday Washington, March 27. — Ted Schlanger, zone manager of Warner Theatres, here, announces that in observance of Good Friday, the following StanleyWarner Theatres will not open on that day until two P. M. : Mastbaum, Stanley, Boyd, *A.Idine, Fox, Stanton, Earle, Palace, Victoria, Capitol and Center. In addition the Family, Savoy and Princess will be closed between the hours of 12 noon and two P. M. Bronze Star for Miller The Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service has been awarded to Major Alton Glenn Miller, former band leader, who has been missing in action after an airplane flight in Europe last December. The award was presented to his wife, Mrs Helen Miller, of Tenafly, N. J., by Col. F. R. Kerr, acting director of the Army Special Services Division. Correction RKO RADIO PICTURES, INC. NEW YORK TRADE SHOWING OF "TWO O'CLOCK COURAGE" TUESDAY, APRIL 3 2:30 P. M. RKO Projection Room, 630 Ninth Ave., New York, N. Y.